YOUNG AND ELOQUENT. Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II (left), one of the resource speakers during the April 28, 2021 webinar organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, is all smiles after he successfully presented Tagbilaran’s best practices in the implementation of the online processing of business permits and licenses during the online conference entitled “Enhancing Business Climate of Local Governments under the New Normal”. Contributed photo
The pandemic has changed the way people and government are doing things.
The new normal is presenting challenges forcing local government units (LGUs) to be creative and innovative in the processing of business licenses or permits, which is one of the biggest sources of LGU revenue.
In this connection, Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II presented in a webinar, the innovative business permitting system implemented in the city with the new normal as one of the bases.
Yap shared the City Government’s business permitting best practices in a webinar organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The Tagbilaran city mayor was joined by other local chief executives from Valenzuela, Pasig, Paranaque, Cagayan De Oro, Calamba, Iligan and Isabela, during the webinar on Apr. 28, 2021. The webinar was entitled, Enhancing Business Climate of Local Governments under the New Normal.
The said webinar discussed the policies issued by the DILG in relation to standards in business permit processing under the new normal.
Mayor Yap explained that business permit processing in the past entailed face-to-face transactions and long queues.
Face-to-face transactions and long queues are opportunities for the virus causing the Coronavirus disease (Covid) to spread given social distancing may not be observed including the possibility for virus transmission coming from asymptomatic virus carriers who may be present at City Hall trying to renew or process business permits, Mayor Yap said
He added by saying that with health and general welfare in mind, LGUs have to look for ways to generate local revenues but still prioritize the health of their constituents.
Mayor Yap shared the experience and best practices of Tagbilaran City in the implementation of the online business permit processing.
“I am honored to be chosen as one of the panelists and be lined up among the best LGUs in terms of business permitting. I highlighted Tagbilaran City’s efforts through our Business Permits and Licensing Office and the Information Technology Department’s e-permitting system which allowed business owners to apply and renew business permits online. This new system enabled Tagbilaran to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic and at the same time secure people’s health and well-being”, Yap said.
The DILG organized the online conference as a way to share best practices in generating local revenues in the new normal.
The online conference also provided an avenue for LGUs to be aware of the initiatives of National Government in enhancing the business climate in the new normal.
More importantly, the online conference highlighted best practices from identified LGUs which could be replicated in other areas in the country.
Local Chief Executives, City and Municipal Administrators, Sangguniang Bayan or Panlungsod members, Planning and Development Coordinators, Business Permit and Licensing Officers, Building Officials, and Local Economic and Development Investment Promotions Officers, City and Municipal Treasurers, and participants from the DILG‘s regional offices are among the attendees of the said webinar.